O2 is to tap in to the UK's love of animals with a £10m campaign featuring a cat that wants to "be more dog".

The mobile network, which plans to use the theme to underpin its push for 4G customers later this summer, firmly backs canines with an ad that shows an aloof cat embracing its more active dog-like side.

O2 said the campaign aims to "spread positivity, excitement and inquisitiveness ... to rid the UK of cynicism" by getting people to "embrace their inner dog".

"We're living in one of the most exciting eras as far as technology goes... but somehow we've got a little jaded by it all," said the O2 marketing and consumer director, Gary Booker.

"'Be more dog' is all about encouraging Britain to embrace the new, have a go with the unknown and dabble in innovation. We're also gearing up for our 4G launch later this summer, so it's the perfect time to get the nation trying more and being a little bit more dog."

The campaign, which features press and poster ads of the cat with lines such as "Life's a stick – go chase it", will also mark O2's biggest social media drive to date. The adverts will launch online on Thursday and on TV and cinemas nationwide from Saturday.

A team has been assigned to monitor trending videos on YouTube – famous for its cat clips – and to drop "dog bombs" when they see those that feature cat-like behaviour.

O2 says these "dog bombs" are short shareable videos that aim to "inspire viewers to be more dog".

The campaign, which has been developed by ad agency VCCP, will kick off in a two-week wave with two more bursts planned to support particular O2 products, such as its 4G launch, later this summer.

The use of cats and dogs in advertising has always touched a nerve with animal-loving Britons.

In 2008 Volkswagen made national headlines when almost 1,000 animal lovers complained to the advertising watchdog about cruel treatment of a jack russell which was seen to shiver uncontrollably in its TV commercial.

While the car maker was cleared of any wrongdoing, the adverse publicity caused it to pull the TV campaign.

Dairy company Cravendale ran a popular series of TV ads playing on the idea that cats are devlishly clever, giving them opposable thumbs to carry out fiendish feline plots to get milk.

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